Ahenny (Irish: Áth Eine, meaning "ford of Eine") is a small village and townland in County Tipperary, Ireland.[1] It is notable for its ancient Irish high crosses.[2] Close to the village is the early Christian foundation of Kilclispeen monastery[3] and in the adjoining graveyard stand two celebrated Irish High Crosses: the Ahenny High Crosses.[4][5]
Ahenny is situated close to the border dividing counties Tipperary and Kilkenny and nestles on the slopes of Carrigadoon Hill overlooking the valley of the river Lingaun.[6] Scattered remnants of a once thriving slate industry spanning the Tipperary-Kilkenny border-lands, act as reminders of modern Ahenny's roots.[7]
A number of megalithic tombs dot the landscape surrounding Ahenny, which was located in the ancient Kingdom of Ossory. Two kilometres east on Killmacoliver Hill is the Baunfree megalithic tomb, while two kilometres north, the passage tomb of Knockroe (the Coshel) sits on a hill summit.[8] The Knockroe passage tomb shares similarities with Newgrange, Knowth and Loughcrew and is one of the most decorated tombs outside of the Boyne valley group.[9]
Ten kilometres to the west is Slievenamon Hill, again with a Neolithic summit cairn. The river Lingaun rises on Slievenamon and flows east for some ten kilometres before turning south to flow through a valley between Carrigadoon and Kilmacoliver hills. This bend occurs some six kilometres north of Ahenny and it marks the boundary of Leinster from Munster, and the boundary between County Tipperary and County Kilkenny. It also lies at the intersection of three ecclesiastic dioceses: Ossory, Waterford and Cashel.
Ahenny high crossesedit
The Kilclispeen cross: an illustration from the 1857 book Illustrations of Some of the Most Interesting Sculptured Crosses of Ancient Ireland
The Ossory group of high crosses are amongst the earliest examples of Celtic high crosses to be found in Ireland, with those in west Ossory considered the oldest.[2]
The west Ossory group of Celtic crosses includes Ahenny and Kilkieran – two kilometres south-east.,[10][11] Eight kilometres further south is Tibberaghny.[12]Killamery High Cross eight kilometres north of Ahenny completes this close group:[13] although Kilree High Cross sixteen miles north-east of Ahenny is often included.[14]
Cross iconographyedit
The Ahenny high crosses (national monument #124) are early examples of Irish high crosses which still bear resemblance to their wooden predecessors. Celtic knotwork and bosses imitate in stone what a carved wooden cross would have looked like. One of the Ahenny crosses also bears a fine image of an Irish chariot, which along with other high crosses, was used as the main inspiration of a modern reconstruction.[15]
^"High Cross Kilkieran". Megalithicireland.com. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
^Françoise Henry (1964). Irish High Crosses. Published for the Cultural Relations Committee of Ireland at the Three Candles.
^Catherine E. Karkov; Michael Ryan; Robert T. Farrell. The Insular Tradition. p. 138.
^"Kilree High Cross". Megalithicireland.com. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
^"Google Sites". Sites.google.com. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
April 17, 2024
ahenny, irish, Áth, eine, meaning, ford, eine, small, village, townland, county, tipperary, ireland, notable, ancient, irish, high, crosses, close, village, early, christian, foundation, kilclispeen, monastery, adjoining, graveyard, stand, celebrated, irish, h. Ahenny Irish Ath Eine meaning ford of Eine is a small village and townland in County Tipperary Ireland 1 It is notable for its ancient Irish high crosses 2 Close to the village is the early Christian foundation of Kilclispeen monastery 3 and in the adjoining graveyard stand two celebrated Irish High Crosses the Ahenny High Crosses 4 5 Ahenny Ath EineVillageAhenny High Crosses Kilclispeen GraveyardAhennyLocation in IrelandCoordinates 52 24 44 N 7 23 38 W 52 4122 N 7 3938 W 52 4122 7 3938CountryIrelandProvinceMunsterCountyCounty TipperaryTime zoneUTC 0 Summer DST UTC 1 Contents 1 History 2 Ahenny high crosses 2 1 Cross iconography 3 ReferencesHistory editAhenny is situated close to the border dividing counties Tipperary and Kilkenny and nestles on the slopes of Carrigadoon Hill overlooking the valley of the river Lingaun 6 Scattered remnants of a once thriving slate industry spanning the Tipperary Kilkenny border lands act as reminders of modern Ahenny s roots 7 A number of megalithic tombs dot the landscape surrounding Ahenny which was located in the ancient Kingdom of Ossory Two kilometres east on Killmacoliver Hill is the Baunfree megalithic tomb while two kilometres north the passage tomb of Knockroe the Coshel sits on a hill summit 8 The Knockroe passage tomb shares similarities with Newgrange Knowth and Loughcrew and is one of the most decorated tombs outside of the Boyne valley group 9 Ten kilometres to the west is Slievenamon Hill again with a Neolithic summit cairn The river Lingaun rises on Slievenamon and flows east for some ten kilometres before turning south to flow through a valley between Carrigadoon and Kilmacoliver hills This bend occurs some six kilometres north of Ahenny and it marks the boundary of Leinster from Munster and the boundary between County Tipperary and County Kilkenny It also lies at the intersection of three ecclesiastic dioceses Ossory Waterford and Cashel Ahenny high crosses edit nbsp The Kilclispeen cross an illustration from the 1857 book Illustrations of Some of the Most Interesting Sculptured Crosses of Ancient IrelandThe Ossory group of high crosses are amongst the earliest examples of Celtic high crosses to be found in Ireland with those in west Ossory considered the oldest 2 The west Ossory group of Celtic crosses includes Ahenny and Kilkieran two kilometres south east 10 11 Eight kilometres further south is Tibberaghny 12 Killamery High Cross eight kilometres north of Ahenny completes this close group 13 although Kilree High Cross sixteen miles north east of Ahenny is often included 14 Cross iconography edit The Ahenny high crosses national monument 124 are early examples of Irish high crosses which still bear resemblance to their wooden predecessors Celtic knotwork and bosses imitate in stone what a carved wooden cross would have looked like One of the Ahenny crosses also bears a fine image of an Irish chariot which along with other high crosses was used as the main inspiration of a modern reconstruction 15 References edit Placenames Database of Ireland a b Michael A Monk John Sheehan Early Medieval Munster p 127 Marcus KEANE 1867 The Towers and Temples of Ancient Ireland Hodges Smith pp 145 Colum Hourihane The Grove Encyclopedia of Medieval Art and Architecture p 16 Michael W Herren Shirley Ann Brown 2002 Christ in Celtic Christianity p 201 Carrigadoon Hill map Ireland UK hills amp mountain Guide Themountainguide co uk Retrieved 3 March 2017 Thomas Curtis 1829 The London encyclopaedia T Tegg pp 167 Ossory archaeological society 1879 Transactions Andrew Meirion Jones Prehistoric Materialities p 41 The Provinces of Ireland CUP Archive p 206 High Cross Kilkieran Megalithicireland com Retrieved 3 March 2017 Francoise Henry 1964 Irish High Crosses Published for the Cultural Relations Committee of Ireland at the Three Candles Catherine E Karkov Michael Ryan Robert T Farrell The Insular Tradition p 138 Kilree High Cross Megalithicireland com Retrieved 3 March 2017 Google Sites Sites google com Retrieved 3 March 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ahenny amp oldid 1185211270, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
